Because of Jess: The Sequel
by StopTheWorldImGettingDizzy
Summary: Sequel to "Because of Jess"... You really have to read that first, it's short. Please let me know what you think... LL because that's all that's worth living for! NOT POST SEASON FOUR!
1. Escargot

A/N: Hi!!! Um, well, this is the sequel to "Because of Jess"- if you didn't read that, it's short, so I would recommend reading that before this… now, this takes place during nag hammadi, so remember: Jason is still here. But worry not, he won't stay long. 

Also, Nicole is technically still in the picture, but I've decided that for my convenience she doesn't exist. Or the divorce went thru the first time, I don't really care, as long as she's gone.  Rory isn't mentioned much, at least not yet, so we'll just say she had to stay at yale this weekend.

For those of you who are very familiar w/ the episode I built the prequel off of, there is no charity dinner, no liz… basically I just took the car scene and built on it.

Only one more thing, I promise! I would really appreciate it if you gave me your thoughts on this, your real thoughts, because I haven't written all that much fanfiction, but I adore the gilmore girls and I really want you to enjoy this story. So please let me know what you think.

Now, without further ado, I present:

Because of Jess, the Sequel (cuz I'm uncreative like that)

Chapter one: Escargot

Lorelai walked briskly through the town to her house, where Luke was waiting for her.  With each step her mind chanted, _Luke loves me, Luke loves me, Luke loves me_.  She felt like she was going crazy.  She reached her front porch.  She took a deep breath, walked slowly up the steps, and opened the door.

Upon entering her living room, Lorelai saw Luke dozing on her couch.  She tiptoed over and stared at his face, thinking once again, _Luke loves me_.  It still brought on a rush of amazement and confusion, so strong it made Lorelai feel dizzy.  She walked around the coffee table and flopped down heavily next to Luke.  Hesitantly, she reached out a hand and gently touched his arm.

In this moment Lorelai was struck by how different Luke seemed now that she knew he, well, _loved_ her.  They had, after all, made physical contact before, she had put her arms around him and hugged him.  They were comfortable together.  And now, here she was, scared of touching him. 

She supposed it was like the time she'd discovered escargot as a child of eight.  She'd loved it, and begged her mother constantly to have the cook make it.  Then one day she'd found out that escargot was snails, and had never been able to eat it again.

It was the same dish.  She just knew something new about it.  And Luke was still the same Luke, she just knew something new about him.

And that changed everything.

"Luke," she whispered, shaking him gently.

He stirred and opened his eyes and half-smiled at her.  "Hey," he mumbled blearily.  She smiled back and saw that the band-aid had come off the hand he'd cut on her broken window, and that it had started to bleed again.  The cut seemed deeper now.  Though he didn't seem to be as drunk, at least. 

"I'm gonna get a wash cloth- fix up that hand again."  Lorelai rose, and only after she removed it did she realize her hand had still rested on Luke's arm.

Lorelai found a pale blue towel, and located a better bandage in an old first-aid kit.  She returned to Luke, sat down, and carefully lifted his hand, resting it in her left palm while her right hand sponged at it with the towel.  This time, she was too nervous holding his hand to be grossed out about the blood.  She gently bandaged the cut.  "Well- all set," she said.

He smiled again.  "You really are good at this."

She smiled too.  "Thanks," she said quietly.  _Damn it!  He's still the same Luke!  Like that escargot.  _"Escargot…." She murmured.

"Huh?" asked Luke.

"Oh!  Sorry- I was just remembering- when I was a kid, I loved escargot, but then someone told me it was snails and I stopped liking it, even though it was the same escargot."

"Oh…." said Luke, looking confused.

Lorelai became flustered.  "I just saw Jess," she said abruptly. 

Luke looked up.  "Where?"

"Gypsy's.  I yelled at him for hurting you."

"Ah, Lorelai-" began Luke.

"He said something," Lorelai continued, unable to stop now that she'd started.  "He said something that other people have said that I've never believed before."  Luke looked at her questioningly.  "He said you are in love with me."

Luke opened his mouth, drew a sharp breath.  "And- did you believe him?"

Her hesitation, the way she averted her eyes, told him the answer.  "Lorelai…." He began uncertainly.

"Why didn't you tell me, Luke?" she burst out, and he saw tears welling in her eyes.  "You- you can't know what a shock- how big an impact-"  Tears spilled out, ran down her face.

She knew he was staring at her.  She wouldn't look at him.  With a sigh, he got up and left.  "Oh, _god!_" she screamed, and sobbed her heart out.

Sookie had just managed to get little Davey to sleep and was considering a little nap herself when she heard pounding on the door downstairs.  Wondering who it could be, she walked quickly down the stairs and unlocked the door.  Opening it, she saw Lorelai, with tearstained face and swollen eyes.

"Honey!  Oh, what's wrong?" cried Sookie.

"You should've made me listen, when I didn't believe you, you shouldn't have let it go!"  Lorelai choked out.

"What, Honey?  Let what go?" Sookie asked, concerned and bewildered.

"Luke."

"What about him?"

At that, Lorelai began to cry again, and Sookie put her arm around her and led her inside.  She sat them both down on the sofa and waited a minute while Lorelai cried.  Then she asked, "What's this about, Lorelai?"

"I should've believed you," Lorelai said in a strangled voice, "when you told me he had a thing for me."

"_Oh_… oh, Honey- you didn't want to hear it.  You weren't ready."

"Well, I'm not sure I'm ready now, yet here I am, being forced to deal with it."

"Oh, Lorelai…."

"And I just, I can't _deal_ with this.  I don't even know how I feel, I'm just shocked- and I don't know why I'm even crying…. I'm not _sad_…."

"You're confused.  You've had this great friendship for years, and now it all comes tumbling down.  All of a sudden there's this huge aspect of one of your closest friends that you never knew before and you don't know how to react, especially since your reaction affects your entire relationship, as friends or otherwise," Sookie said sagely.

Lorelai couldn't help chuckling.  "Well, now you've told me how I feel.  What should I _do_?"

"Oh, Hon," Sookie said solemnly.  "Only you can decide that."

Lorelai sat on her couch in flannel pajamas, watching an "I Love Lucy" rerun on TV Land.  She'd gotten up four times to go to Luke's since returning from Sookie's, once even getting to the end of her walkway, finally deciding it was no use.  Hell, what was she gonna say to him?  What would he say?  And, most importantly, what did she _want_ him to say?  She had no clue of the answers to any of these questions, least of all the last one.  So she settled down for a master session of "Don't Think About It" therapy. 

There was a knock on the door.  Lorelai jumped, jerked out of her reverie.  She hoped it wasn't Luke.  Or maybe she hoped it was.  She wasn't sure.

"Who is it?" she called.

"Are you decent?" came a familiar voice.

"Yes," she replied.

"Oh, darn."

She couldn't help smiling a bit as she said, "Come on in."  The door opened.  "Hey, Jason."

A/N: WHOA!!!  I had NO idea that was going to happen, I sat down to write and in strolled Jason.  Weird.  But cool, also, that characters just appear as I'm writing.

Next installment is written, but I use a notebook and pen (what can I say, I'm old fashioned) so I have to find time to type it first.  But it'll be up sooner or later.  Please: FEEDBACK!!!

Bye, have a great day!  And watch Monk at ten- it'll offer temporary, semi-relief till the fall.


	2. One Goes Out, Another Comes In

A/N: I do not own the gilmore girls. no duh.

Part two! I suppose the story could end here. If you want more let me know and I might continue, but if no one's interested it doesn't really have to go anywhere from here.

Enjoy!

Chapter Two: One Goes Out, Another Comes In

"Hey, Jason." Lorelai said.

"Hi. So I was thinking about you and- are you okay?" asked Jason, seeing her face.

"Oh- yea, I'm…." she trailed off and shrugged.

Jason sat down next to her and flipped off the TV. He looked at her, saw she wasn't going to talk, and tried taking a different tack. "So, how've you been?"

She gave a little casual toss of her head. "Oh, you know- been busy with the inn, Rory's at Yale this weekend, oh, and her ex-boyfriend's back in town, wreaking havoc as usual."

"Oh? How so?"

"Well, he just generally causes trouble- and what he said to Luke-" her fury at how Jess had hurt Luke flared again.

"Wait- the diner Luke?" Lorelai nodded. "How does he know Rory's ex?"

"Oh, right, I forgot you didn't know- Luke's nephew dated Rory, and he didn't exactly leave Stars Hollow on the greatest terms with his uncle. So he just said some stuff he didn't mean- and Luke just took it really badly, and-" she stopped talking. She thought she heard someone on the porch, but when no knock came she assumed she'd been mistaken. "So anyway, why are you here?"

"Okay. Don't laugh. See, I've had some- not so civil breakups before, which I later regretted because it would have been nice to remain friends with the women I lost. I mean, they were good people. So I've decided to do a- 'Relationship Check-up', I guess. If you have any problems or doubts about us, I want you to tell me now, so this doesn't end bitterly later." He waited expectantly.

Lorelai was silent. Now was her chance. But her chance to do what, exactly? Break up with Jason? What for? She didn't know if she wanted to be with Luke. He might not ask her to be with him. It might all be… a misunderstanding. She didn't want Luke. Did she want Luke? And then she was hit by her second earth-shattering realization of the day. She wanted Luke.

"Jason, I- I like you. A lot. I really do. But- I don't know if I can stay in this relationship. I'm sort of at a weird place right now with- with my feelings. And I didn't even realize this till today- till right _now_- but I think- I'm in love with- someone else. I'm _really_ sorry, Jason. I hope you find someone wonderful who you deserve to have. I really do."

Jason looked at her intently for a minute, and she stared anxiously back. "Well- I won't pretend I'm not upset. I definitely didn't expect a break-up. I'm sorry it had to end- you can't even know how much- yet, for the first time, I don't have to say 'I'm sorry it had to end _this way_.' Lorelai, I feel lucky to have had you in my life, and I hope we can still talk once in a while." And Lorelai could tell he meant it.

"Oh, Jason," she said, and hugged him. "Thank you," she whispered. Then they broke apart, and after a brief smile, Jason left.

Lorelai got up and went to the door, looked out at the street, breathed in the fresh air. Then Luke appeared around the corner of her porch. Her breath caught. "Oh… there _was_ someone on my porch…."

"I'm sorry for just leaving. I just didn't know what you needed right then. I should've stayed." Luke said at once.

"Oh Luke- it's alright. Do you- do you wanna come in?"

He nodded and the two went into the house. Once inside, they stood around awkwardly, not quite knowing what to do or say. Finally Luke asked, "Is it me?"

"Wha-" began Lorelai, but Luke cut across her.

"The guy you think you're in love with."

Lorelai felt her face flush. "You heard… all that?"

"Yea. That's why I didn't come in right away. I know I shouldn't have listened, but…." He took a breath. "Is it me?"

She looked down, then sort of glanced around the room before finally meeting his gaze. "It's you," she said quietly.

"Really?" he asked, and she was blown away by the hope and excitement and intensity in his voice.

Lorelai felt as though there were a thousand different things she wanted to say at once, but he silenced them all with a kiss.

And his lips were soft! and gentle! and compassionate! and caressing! And as their lips touched their arms followed suit, and his embrace was intimate and close. He held her with such care, not as though she was delicate, but as though she was a person whom he valued so completely.

She cracked open her lips to exhale against him and kept them open, and soon their tongues had followed the example of their lips and arms. And he pressed against her and she pressed against him and it was the most incredible sensation and Lorelai thought wildly that she should give escargot another try. If it was anything like this, anything like Luke- ooohhh, Luke! She moaned involuntarily.

Finally they broke apart. They were both breathing heavily. She looked at him in disbelief. "Oh- my- god- wow. I _never_ thought _you_ could- could _do_ that to me. I-" she took a huge breath and let it out. "Wow."

He just couldn't hold back his grin. "Good?"

"_Great_." She spoke seriously. "But confusing. I mean-" she gestured wildly with her hands. "You have been in my life for- a long time. And I never _seriously_ thought it was true that you were "into me," as Sookie put it. And my mother is insane, but she saw it. And I _thought_ about it, but I didn't believe it. Or I was scared to…." She added thoughtfully, as though realizing this for the first time. "Anyway, then Jess says it and all at once I'm just like, "oh, my god. _How_ did I never notice this before," and it was so _big_. But- _good_. And-" she looked up at him. "And I wanna try."

"You do?" he asked.

"Yes." She said softly, and her voice was firm.

And he smiled.

And she smiled back.

A/N: I'd really like to hear specific thoughts on this scene. I mean, obviously there was a lot of _action_ (heh heh), but there was also a whole lot of talk, and I want to know what you thought about it. Thanks for reading! Please review!


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